Masonry-Earthen Dam

a dam in which most of the body is made from masonry materials and the antiseepage structure is made from low-permeability soil. Five main types of masonry-earthen dams are distinguished on the basis of the materials used and the methods of providing water impermeability: dams whose water-impermeable part is (1) in the form of an earthen screen; (2) built with a fill of low-permeability soil on a core of rock fill; (3) built on a layer of more permeable material; (4) in the form of a central core of clay, sandy loam, or clay concrete; and (5) built with a fill of more permeable materials.

The comparative simplicity of design and the possibility of using local building materials have made masonry-earthen dams widespread, particulary in regions remote from existing means of communication. The Nurek masonry-earthen dam in the Tadzhik SSR is 300 m high.